26 Charged in Sweeping Drug Trafficking Case

“My office is proud to work with law enforcement agencies across our state to dismantle illegal drug trafficking operations that put New Yorkers in danger,” said Attorney General James. “These traffickers were flooding our communities with cocaine and a deadly combination of heroin and fentanyl. As New York continues its fight against the opioid crisis, my office will use every tool at its disposal to get dangerous narcotics off our streets. I thank our law enforcement partners for their work in this successful investigation.”

Year-long Investigation Leads to Arrest of 26 New Yorkers

The investigation, which was conducted over the past YEAR, included covert surveillance and hundreds of hours of wiretaps over more than two dozen target phones, aimed at rooting out heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine dealers operating in the Capital Region and Hudson Valley, New York.

How Did the Operation Span 9 counties?

According to the Attorney General's announcement Jahrell Friday, 39, of Albany, was a "central figure in the narcotics distribution network" and often partnered with Leesa Walker, 34, of Albany, Kevon Gordon, 32, of Rensselaer,  Marcella Anastasio, 46, of Albany, Lauren Cave, 43, of Hoosick Falls, Mark Hebert II, 42, of Cohoes, Cedar Lofland, 53, of Queensbury, Jacob Tesch, 43, of Troy, and others to sell heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine in the Capital Region.

The investigation reportedly revealed that Friday often obtained narcotics to sell from Albany-based sources, such as Jayshaun Young, 30, and Thomas Doutsis, 29. He also attempted to import narcotics from California via the mail, according to the indictment,

One of his packages, intercepted by law enforcement, contained a kilogram of cocaine mixed in with Christmas presents and clothing for children.

According to the Attorney General's announcement, Friday made his sales in his home in Albany, local parking lots and hotel rooms and used code words when communicating, including “Fernando” as a code for fentanyl and “dog food” or “food” to refer to heroin.

Alex Umpierre, 41, and Alcides Garcia, 55, who are both based in the Bronx, reportedly supplied the drugs to Young, who then transported cocaine from the Bronx to Albany and supplied Friday.

The indictment paperwork goes on to charge both Umpierre and Garcia with "Operating as a Major Trafficker," which carries a mandatory life sentence in state prison.

The indictment explains that Garcia reportedly used a bodega on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx as a distribution point for his narcotics trafficking.

During the investigation, Umpierre reportedly admitted in an intercepted call that he was cooking crack cocaine in his Bronx apartment and left a Pyrex container on a hot stove, causing his apartment to fill with crack cocaine smoke and destroying $2,000 worth of cocaine. Three guns were found inside his Bronx home, police said.

“Good police work and invaluable partnerships were key in bringing down this illegal drug trafficking organization and the vicious crimes perpetuated by it,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James. “This substantial investigation unveiled numerous individuals distributing deadly drugs without any regard for who might purchase them or the intended use. There is no doubt that by intercepting these dangerous acts, lives have been saved. I want to thank the Attorney General’s Office and our partners for their outstanding work on this investigation.”

The 276-count indictment was unsealed in Albany County Court Thursday charging the defendants with crimes for their involvement in the narcotics trafficking operation, including various counts of Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (class A, B, C, D felonies) as well as Conspiracy in the Second Degree (a class B felony). In addition to the narcotics offenses, Hebert was charged with Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree and related charges for the theft of a vehicle in Bethlehem, New York.

26 People Charged in Alleged Deadly Drug Trafficking Ring

Those charged in today’s indictment include:

• Nicole Alberts, 30, of Ravena, NY
• Marcella Anastasio, 46, of Albany, NY
• Matthew Bell, 57, of Albany, NY
• Lauren Cave, 43, of Hoosick Falls, NY
• Tyrun Covington, 51, of Rensselaer, NY
• Thomas Doutsis, 29, of Albany, NY
• Todd Fordley, 38, of Albany, NY
• Jahrell Friday, 39, of Albany, NY
• Alcides Garcia, 55, of Bronx, NY
• Kevon Gordon, 32, of Rensselaer, NY
• Mark E. Hebert II, 42, of Cohoes, NY
• Jorge Hernandez, 28, of Schenectady, NY
• Gary Holmes, 41, of Albany, NY
• Cedar Lofland, 53, of Queensbury, NY
• Brenda Patterson, 59, of Earlton, NY
• Wilbert Reynoso, 32, of the Bronx, NY
• Reed Simmons, 25, of East Chatham, NY
• David Slurff, 53, of East Greenbush, NY
• Anthony Tedesco, 44, of Albany, NY
• Jacob Tesch, 43, of Troy, NY
• Alex Umpierre, 41, of the Bronx, NY
• Leesa Walker, 34, of Albany, NY
• Michael Wescott, 51, of Gansevoort, NY
• Errol Williams, 36, of Albany, NY
• Jamel Young, 37, of Waterbury, CT
• Jayshaun Young, 30, of Albany, NY